Mia's Origins
by G. Sun
Summary: While in a comatose state, Mia visits the past of her parents to walk in the shoes of her mother Phoebe, a master-to-be in the art of Light, and her father, a novice in the Dark arts. She will also discover the identity of the dark man who took her away. Read after THE RESCUE.
1. Chapter 1

**This will be a long one covering the backstory behind Mia's parents so three chapters are necessary.**

"Topaz, you can't just waltz in here all the time, the Professor could catch you here," I warn her for the tenth millionth time. Her curls bouncing, she glances inside the cell.

"How's she doing?"

"What does it look like to you?"

"Alright relax, sheesh. You sound testy, you sure she isn't dead?"

"She's alive," I'm unable to hide the concern in my tone. If the Professor finds out she hasn't awakened in a whole day then she's not going to be a good mood. Is this what it's like when everyone waits for me to wake up?

"Hey, who's that guy? A new employee?" she asks urgently, forcing me to turn to get a good look inside the cell.

"Very good young lady. You could detect me in the shadows," he says while stepping over to Mia. Before I can get a ring to slide off my jacket he adds, "Refrain yourself, I won't be carrying her off, I don't want to deal with you. I'm doing a favor for a person who cares about her. Hm, an eradicated memory filled with childhood trauma." Kneeling beside her the man in the monk robe puts his fingers on Mia's temple. "I will open up the memory of the parents you misunderstand and uncap that memory you tucked away," he says to her as if she can hear him. "I can sense another troubling past in this room, you young man. Oh but you are not truly a man are you? You're something _better_."

"What're you talking about?" I have the feeling I know what he's talking about but how would he know? "And keep your hands off her!"

"I'm only here to help Mia see what she couldn't," and with that, the dapper monk fades away.

* * *

"_Phoebe, you're up at the brink of dawn," commented Wisp gleefully. I opened my eye in the middle of my meditating and smiled at my spirit guide. "Your brother and sister are still fast asleep."_

"_Lazy kids, both of them," I chuckled while shaking my head. "For them to be masters of the Light, they must have the dedication. They're still young, they don't know that yet."_

"_You're far from being a master yourself!"_

"_But I'm closer because of my discipline."_

"_That's true. I'll be resting in the next room whenever you're ready to come back to bed." For a spirit of Light, Wisp could be so lazy. She was supposed to be pushing me to pursue my dreams, not telling me to go to bed. The sunlight peeked through the blinds, hitting me right in the eye. Unflinchingly, I opened the blinds and pushed open the window. Dad's flower garden was blooming despite it being so early for this time of the month. What day was it? I walked over to the calendar in my room, being quiet enough to not wake up Wisp. The eighteenth of Sunwalker's Time, the day of my exam. Getting some rest would be nice but with the sun so bright out today, I couldn't waste my time snoozing away. _

"_Pheebs, you got up early again?" Aggie asked, standing in my doorway in oversized pajamas, rubbing her eyes. "What're you doing so early?"_

"_Getting ready," I answered while taking my night gown off, and looking in my closet for my uniform. "You should be getting ready today too."_

"_But I'm so tired and we all know you're going to pass the test-" she yawned loudly "-with flying colors, so you don't need practice." _

"_You don't know that. Oh here you are," I took my white blouse and blue blazer and threw them on the bed. If Aggie had the discipline I had then she could pass too but I've never met a sixteen year old girl so laidback as she was. "Have you seen my pants Aggie?"_

"_I think Dad mixed up our laundry again." I put on my clothes meticulously, making sure I looked presentable, and headed out early without getting any breakfast. My excitement satisfied my appetite that morning. "Pheebs, lookin' sharp!" Paul complimented while coming out of his home. "You're dressed to get 'em Sis."_

"_You're coming to watch?" I asked, walking with my brother. _

"_Of course, why wouldn't I want to see my baby sister kick ass," he stopped to throw a couple of punches in the air, only to hit me in the shoulder. "Woops."_

"_Watch it-and I told you about the cursing," I reprimanded him with a light punch in his shoulder. Sun Gardia's most handsome boy was also another lazy person. Like everyone in Sun Gardia, he had dark blue hair but didn't cut it after passing the Gardia's Vista Exam the way most boys did. He wanted to stand out and by doing that he angered our parents and offended every adult here but caught the hearts of all the foolish girls here. That was why all the guys here "copied his style" as he constantly gloated. "You're going to pick up Mom right? Don't forget about her Paul, she will never live it down."_

"_Yeah, yeah, what time is it?" he looked down at his watch and gaped at it. "Shit, I'll see you at the test."_

"_Yeah, see ya." He was so irresponsible and such a doofus-how he passed the Gardia's Vista Exam, I didn't know. The drought from weeks ago had killed the terrain here and is just recovering and climbing these hills to get to the cart stop was terrible. Gardia's known for its hilly terrain like the nearby island Bove and its legendary droughts that got so bad that when my parents were kids, they almost died from dehydration every day. I hate thinking about it because then I wouldn't have been born, that must have been awful. But it was because they were paired in the same hospital room together they fell in love with each other. _

_While making my way up, I spot Daniel and his cousin Serena on the way up. "Danny, Serena!" I called out to my childhood friends, slightly more dedicated than my family. Dan's hair was brighter than most, his mother didn't drink much of seawater nectar while pregnant with him and his hair was now an obnoxious cyan. Serena lived up to her name and made me proud to have such a beautiful friend. She was just like me except she had a voluptuous body while I was a standard stick figure._

"_Phoebe," said Serena drowsily. "I finished the book last night. You will not believe the plot twist at the end."_

"_I could barely meditate, you were crying over that stupid book," complained Dan. "What's up Pheebs?"_

"_Excited, that's what. Serena, you of all people stayed up to read when the Sun Gardia's Vista Exam is today?" I asked in disbelief. Serena would do something like that, why am I surprised? She shrugged as if were no big deal. "You don't understand, I had to know what happened to Edwin, I would've died if I didn't read on."_

"_Sometimes you're so deep in books you don't pay attention to what's going on around you."_

"_Says the one who wakes up at the crack of dawn to practice."_

"_Hey guys, trolley's here," Dan interrupted. "We better catch it quick."_

'_ ' '_

_Gardia's stadium seemed bigger than usual because outside my parents, Dan's aunts and uncles, and practically everyone in Sun Gardia. Our teacher, Hiki, summoned our Wisp guides by our sides and was giving us a pep talk. Unfortunately I couldn't hear him because Wisp was commenting on how the uniforms looked on different people. I didn't care much how I looked, I did what every other girl did-left my hair down and made sure not get my skin dark from the blistering sun. "Mr. Hiki, what's on this test?" Brandon, an acquaintance of mine asked him._

"_The day of the test you're asking?" said Mr. Hiki exasperatedly. "This test is a display of what you've learned, by out-brightening your classmates. I can only hope for your sake you did some meditating Brandon." The room was filled with snickers and Mr. Hiki and his Wisp silenced everyone. "Remember that your family is watching you and to fail this test would mean repeating this class," he seriously. _

"_Totally you Ricky."_

"_Shut the f-"_

"_Hush already!" Mr Hiki's Wisp shouted, permanently silencing everyone but my Wisp. "Didn't you hear me?"_

"_Yes," my Wisp admitted sheepishly._

"_My apologies," I quickly said, glaring at Wisp for being such a chatterbox. I've got to have my head in the game now, I'm not repeating this class. I looked behind me, a sea of different shades of blue flooded the waiting room. I spot Aggie by the wall talking vigorously with our neighbor Andolus. The only reason she got pushed into my class is because Mom and Dad had pushed her so hard that she had caught up to me rather quickly. But when she had gotten into my class she had started to ease off-I felt like I was the only serious one in this family._

"_Agnus Luz and Serena Flame, you two are up," said the announcer outside the stadium. Aggie moved through the crowd of blue, not seeing me wave to her. I really hope that she does well. "The next pair after them is Davin Drole and Phoebe Luz."_

"_Damn it!" Davin groaned up in the front. Davin seemed pretty average student, nothing unique about him. There was nothing unique about anyone here, even me and my family and friends, so I should be humble about it. "Good luck Pheebs," said Aggie when I made it to the front of the entrance. "We're gonna ace this," I replied encouragingly, flashing a reassuring smile to her and Davin, who had a dark blue bowlcut and looked elegant in his uniform. But he had too much hair on his chin for me to like him. He feigned a smile and pouted again._

"_He's already lost," Wisp whispered when appeared right by my ear. I buzzed her off like a fly._

"_Don't dismiss him like so," I replied in a hushed tone. He was whining to someone else about how unfair it was he had to go against me so thankfully he didn't hear us. Anyone had the potential to shine their brightest in the middle of a crisis. "I'm going to do my best and so will he."_

_ "You're no fun," complained Wisp. "But I'll give it to you, he's a cutey."_

"_I'm not thinking about that now," I lied. The gates to the stadium were raised, letting in a huge light in. I stared straight at it, took a deep breath, and stepped forward into the sun's light._

* * *

_The swaying of the breeze made my clothes flap in the wind. Sitting up from the hammock, I grimaced when I recall my argument with Korbin. He thought he knew everything all the time just because he was older. In two hours I was starting my classes, the argument happened an hour ago. But Korbin knew how to push my buttons so well, I wish I had some immunity to him. "Why the long face?" asked a woman coming up from behind the white sheet flapping in the wind. "Youngster."_

"_Mom, I'm not in the mood."_

"_Mom? Who's that? I'm a passing old woman worried about you, that's all."_

"_Mom I'm turning twenty-one tomorrow, can you cut it out? I told you I'm not in the mood," I snapped to my surprise. She threw the elder mask on the grass and stuck her tongue out. She had youthful face despite her age and a youthful attitude towards life as well. "You're acting like a child."_

"_What? Something's wrong with trying to make my child happy?" she teased, letting her hair down to put it back into a neater bun that the wind already messed up. I sighed, letting my feet dangle from the hammock. _

"_No-"_

"_He's your brother, come now," she spoke more like an adult when she wasn't fooling around. "Forget about the little fight you guys had."_

"_I'll try."_

"_There's your pudding cake waiting for you in the kitchen. If you don't hurry back, then it'll all be gone when Korbin and his friends get here," she nudged me off the hammock and put her arm around me. "My little baby is going to be an old man soon." She was such an immature prankster but always made me laugh more than anyone else. "What'll a mother do? Oh and you start the intermediate class for Darkness, what will a mother really do? You're killing me hun." _

"_Talk to Gran, she won't keep you lonely," I suggested when I escaped her embrace, stepping into kitchen through the back door. The soybean, almond-filled pudding cake jiggled on the counter. "Gran is old and boring, I'd rather talk to my favorite son."_

"_Don't say stuff like that."_

"_I'm kidding I'm kidding. Eat your pudding cake and get going to __Ab__élard for class."_

"_You're giving me the whole cake? I can't eat all of this."_

"_I told you, you're my favorite right? Relax I'm kidding, Korbin will probably come by with his friends and devour everything in sight._

'_ ' '_

"_Welcome to Intermediate Darkness class. Last year you guys were just studying and doing the written and historic part of Darkness- and passed. Now you're going to grasp the physical and mental part of controlling the power of Darkness," said the unnamed teacher. Or maybe she did introduce herself but I wasn't paying attention. I kept tapping my pen against the desk, still agitated about that stupid argument. On the way to class I had remembered what it was about-Korbin was complaining about the Lanterns again and brought up the many times they've raided and attacked Shadow Gardia. I had countered by saying how Shadow Gardians recently raided a small village in Sun Gardia. Both sides of this island were stupid, both so cruel to each other. Mom said that's what I was training for, to put the Lanterns out for good-do I really want that?_

"_Dunstan why haven't you opened your box?" asked the teacher with raven hair with her gavel in hand. Turning pink, I glanced around to see a Shade spirit on everyone's desk except mine. Great Korbin, our silly argument got me in trouble already._

"_I'm doing it now," I muttered, trying to figure out how to open the flat, jeweled box. "Um, how do you open it?"_

"_Use your fingertip to touch the jewel, I already explained that," she complained. I obeyed and the box opened up from all four corners. From the box, purple orbs collect to form a flying eyeball, my Dark guide Shade. "You were late," the spirit pointed out in a deep voice. I bowed my head curtly._

"_Sorry."_

"_I'm Shade your spirit guide."_

"_Dunstan."_

_J.G.P._


	2. Chapter 2

_It felt weird knowing that I was going to have an eyeball follow me around everywhere. I would be watched wherever I went and that bugged me. When I left class, everyone was practicing with their Shade or getting acquainted with them. I knew my friend Lilith was-she was out of everyone's league and had her head on her shoulders, sometimes I wished I could be like her. "You seem troubled," observed Shade, flying above my shoulder. The crescent moon was hidden by the clouds, watching us sheepishly. I wanted to go home, I'd have time to practice tomorrow._

"_You're not helping" I snapped, and then sighed, letting the back of my oily hair to the tip of my neck. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. We became acquainted at the worst time-sorry for being so brisk with you."_

"_Troubled minds are sensitive ones. You haven't let me see inside you yet."_

"_Oh right, sorry." I was off to a terrible start with Shade, he probably didn't like me already. Leaning on the back of a bench, I watched him enter my chest and a sudden chill followed but I wouldn't shiver. He was tasting my Darkness, seeing if I needed to hone my Darkness more. He came out from my back and I put my hand to my chest. "Well how am I?"_

"_We can wait to get to your home, if Korbin isn't already there." He knew practically everything about me now, the argument, my mom, my dad, Korbin, and my few friends.__ When I took my keys out of my pants, I heard a soft whimpering coming from the side of the house. _

"_It's probably a hungry cat," I told Shade as I went to the side of the neighboring plywood house. An old man who had lost his wife to the Lanterns' latest raid lived there with his two grandchildren, Gerude and his sister Larya. The side door in our house opened up to their side door so I saw them often. I spotted Larya covering her eyes and crying, head on her knees. "Larya, what's the matter?" She sobbed some more hearing me, embarrassed to be seen crying. _

"_Nothing, nothing at all," she lied, wiping the snot from her nose. I bent down to her level and rubbed her shoulders. "Talk to me, what happened to you?"_

"_I-was out-I was out p-picking roseberries and-and-an there-was none-left. A L-Lantern w-was pick-picking them-s-s-so I asked h-h-him t-to-give me a few. He-he told me to go-"_

"_Go what?" I felt my anger growing from the pit of my stomach. "Take a deep breath and tell me what he said to you." She had to whisper it in my ear. "What? A grown man said that to you?" She nodded sullenly, eyes still wet._

"_Another Lantern c-c-came and threw-stones-at me, along with the other one and said, ' You dirty people should just die," blubbered Larya, covering her eyes again. How could anyone have said that to a little girl? The furious monster inside was boiling, the way it had been when Korbin and I got into that petty argument. Nobody should ever say that to anyone, I didn't care who it is. "They can't get away with that, I'm gonna go over there and talk to him," I fiercely vowed to her. "Remember his name?"_

"_The girl who threw stones at me called him Paulie." I stood up and turned in the direction of Sun Gardia. Before I knew it, I was storming down the grasslands, Shade hovering beside me. _

"_You're not welcome in Sun Gardia. I firmly suggest you don't let your anger get the best of you," he said earnestly. _

"_No, someone needs to let them know they can't yell at little girls like that and I'm gonna be the one to tell them," I declared to him angrily. "I don't care what you suggest."_

"_As your spirit guide, I strongly discourage this behavior." _

"_Well too bad." I didn't want to say all that to him but when I was mad, nothing would stop me from what I had to do or say. I felt Shade's presence disappear when Sun Gardia was within sight over a couple of hills and that saddened me a little. "Dunstan!"_

"_Who knew you had balls!"_

"_I'm so proud, tsk!" Someone's arms dropped on me and Korbin's friends surrounded me. Scotia and Walcio swarmed me like bees craving honey while Korbin gave me a half hug. "I didn't know you had it in you, tsk."_

"_Had what in me?" I asked briskly._

"_The balls to stand up to a Lantern. We heard you were goin' to give that dude a piece of your mind," said Walcio. "We're coming as backup."_

"_I'm just talking to them," I insisted._

"_You're gonna beat down your first Lantern, tsk," said Korbin like a doting brother. "What're we waiting for? Let's do it." While Korbin and his friends followed me, telling me how to properly beat down a Lantern, I silently kept to myself. Scotia was twenty-five and still living with her family, she was on the plain side with a personality to match. Walcio, twenty-four, was Korbin's closest friend and occasionally talked to me when he would come over, always wearing the most traditional Abélard robes. I wore the more modern one like most guys my age- long and dark puffy pants that stopped at my ankles and a rolled up shirt that went over my right shoulder and across my flat stomach. Korbin had his altered so that he had two going over both shoulders._

_Upon arrival, we grabbed attention from the Lanterns immediately. One of them with long hair in a ponytail demanded to know what we were doing in Sun Gardia. "I'm looking for a Paul here. He was picking roseberries," I bypassed her before she could say a word._

"_What do you people want with him?"_

"_To teach that punk a lesson," threatened Korbin, making a fist and pounding it into his palm. Scotia cackled with that infamous laughter of hers as she spat at the Lantern's feet. Respectfully, Walcio kept quiet and joined my side. I saw a man going into his home and my anger made me yell instead of speak. "Are you Paul?" _

"_Don't talk to me like that dirty Shadow. He lives across from here," said the teenage blue-head. For a daytime village, there were more people outside than I would've expected. I marched to the tiny brick-made home and banged on the door. Quickly, the door opened and the man named Paul grimaced at me. "What?"_

"_You're the Paul I heard about?"_

"_What of it Shadow?" _

"_Let my bro handle this," Korbin told his friends, backing away from Paul's home. By then, there were people out of their homes, woken up by Korbin's ruckus and my shouting._

"_What was wrong with sharing some food with a girl who just lost her father huh? Tell me what was _so wrong_ with that?" I yelled, pounding my fist at his door. Paul glowered and raised a finger filled with Light at me. "Keep yellin', we're goin' have a mess on our hands Shadow," he said boldly, obviously not used to being scolded like a child. I bet he had been raised a spoiled brat used to getting everything he wanted and nobody ever giving him a proper reprimanding._

"_I'm telling you that no man should ever make a little hungry girl cry! I don't care what'll you do to me, and tell your friend who threw the stones that they shouldn't do that to little girls. It's wrong and heartless-!" I continued berating until a young woman came over and raised her hand in my face. "Do _not _yell at my brother like that," she said, her sapphire eyes burning with a heavy gaze._

"_I hope you weren't the one throwing stones at her."_

"_I wasn't even there but you cannot come here at night with your hoodlums to start screaming at my brother," something in her soft-spoken tone made the statement harsher than it needed to be. Nonetheless, I faced Paul again, who lowered his glowing finger._

"_Don't make any girl cry," I warned._

"_Beat him down Dunstan, and his sister too!" exclaimed Scotia, oblivious to everything I said. Someone else came from where the young woman was from. She was a scornful looking woman with a thick belly and bulging thighs but something about her facial features were enchanting. "How dare you come you here and threaten my son in front of everyone," she spoke stringently and poked her finger in my chest. "How dare you, a dirty Shadow, yell at my son like he was some disobedient animal."_

"_He needed to have a good yelling at," I persisted, causing my peanut gallery to hoot and holler. More Lanterns and their Wisp hissed and cursed at them. The sapphire-eyed woman's expression softened a bit and she took her mother's hand. _"_Before his friends start another war Mother," she urged, tugging the large woman away. Her lighter cyan eyes never left me while being moved by her daughter's bluer eyes. Paul slammed the door when I glared at him again and by now I simmered down. The enraged monster in my stomach went to bed and I lost my fierceness yet again. If nobody was going to confront him, I was glad it was me._

"_Get away fuckin' Wisps," cursed Walcio, waving the swarming Wisp away with his hands. "So what's the plan Dunstan?"_

"_Plan? We're going home."_

* * *

_That man didn't once say "flaming Lantern" or "seaweed head" or any other slur for us. "Phoebe why are you holding me back?" demanded Mother when I gestured her to have a seat. My Wisp floated from my bedroom to add her comment. "Oh Shade's hooligans are always making trouble. Paul should've squared him right in their dirty faces."_

"_Right in their damn faces!" added Aggie, coming from the kitchen. _

"_I told you I don't like you saying those words Aggie, girls don't talk like that. He didn't come for a fight which was pretty surprising. If anything, Paul needed that scolding-" I said, obviously irritating Mother._

"_But not from a Shadow," protested Mother. " He didn't have to talk to my kid that way." I secretly applauded him for doing that but when things looked like they were ready to escalate I had to show him his place. That man had good intentions, what a relief. "Why was he barking at him like that?" _

_Aggie poked the fireplace and it crackled noisily. "He said Paul made a girl from Shadow Gardia cry and he accused me of throwing stones at her," I told Mother, handing her a cup of ginger tea from the table. Aggie dropped the poker and cursed under her breath, putting her finger in her mouth. "Utter one more of those words, Aggie," warned Mother. _"_I'm going to bed now," muttered Aggie anxiously, fixing her eyebrows habitually. "Pleasant night everyone." I grabbed her arm as she hurried to our bedroom. "Pheebs, what?"_

"_I know that look on your face all too well and you never go to bed this early. Aggie, what did you do?"_

"_Nothing!"_

"_Tell me," I pinched her and she squeaked like a mouse. Mother's tea slipped from her hand as she fell fast asleep on the couch, snoring away. I knew that she should've had the tea later but I knew it would calm her down right away. Aggie's squeals didn't wake her."I threw the stones at her okay!"_

"_Aggie why?"_

"_Because I was mad that I have to repeat class! Stop pinching me already. Just 'cause you're a master doesn't mean you can do whatever you want," she shook my grip off and slammed the bedroom door, waking Mother up. "Was I asleep again?" she asked innocently. I needed to apologize to him on behalf of my family before he makes up some wild story about us assaulting him-then Sun Gardia would definitely be a warzone again. That poisoning act from a month ago caused an endless raid on their side of the island and in turn, the Shadows attacked us in swarms and in turn, we desecrated their temple in Abélard. It was a never ending cycle of war and hatred here._

* * *

"_My son had his first smackdown with a Lantern," Mom hugged me tight and tussled my hair. She was a giant so she could pat me and Korbin down all the time. _"_Mom I didn't fight anyone-"_

"_Korbin just told me. Did you knock his teeth out?"_

"_No, Korbin's a liar."_

"_No I'm not tsk," he slugged his muscular arm over my shoulders, bringing me close to his face. "You kicked him down and had him beg for his mother to come out! My little bro, tsk." I escaped his arm and shook my head, going into my room as Korbin told more lies to Mom. At the edge of the bed, Shade was waiting with his eye closed. Hearing me sit down woke him up. "I heard from Korbin-"_

"_It didn't happen," I quickly corrected him. "I told the guy that he shouldn't do that to little girls and that's all that happened. It doesn't matter to me if you don't believe me."_

"_Who said I didn't? I knew you wouldn't do that," replied Shade, floating in front of me as I slumped over and rested my head on my hands. I smiled weakly, he already knew me inside out like an old friend. After having a chance to finally calm down, I remembered the assessment from earlier. "Oh yeah, tell me how my Darkness is."_

"_You definitely need to use more of it, it's quite underdeveloped. Practice with it," he said exactly what I predicted. "But there was something I noted about the state of your Darkness that I haven't felt in a long time. Warm Darkness is a rare occurrence for Shadow Gardians and yours is like that of a woman from a long time ago named Lilith."_

"_Was she a good person?"_

"_That's what I was told."_

"_That's all that matters to me." The next evening, Mom went out with Korbin to get ingredients for my birthday dinner. It was only me and Shade left in the house, practicing how to channel Darkness from various parts of the body. That was when my Darkness turned from soot black to violet-I was getting so much better thanks to Shade, being a master wasn't such a faraway dream. A knock on the door brought me to a stop. "Can I have a break Shade? It is my birthday after all."_

"_We'll see. Answer the door." I went to the door and opened it wide. The sapphire-haired girl stood at the door to my shock. Did she want to scold me for yelling at her brother? "Good evening," said the young lady politely. "I came to apologize for the actions of my family and if we hurt you, I apologize again."_

"Huh?"

"_For last night. If you want a more proper apology I would need your name."_

"_Dunstan."_

"_Dunstan, I humbly apologize on behalf of Sun Gardia. Sorry to disturb you at this time-" she turned away but I wouldn't let her. "Wait, what's your name?" she was perplexed by the question but tried to keep a serious face._

"_Phoebe Luz. If that is all-"_

"_Can I talk to you tomorrow by the docks? Please." I whispered to her, looking behind me to make sure Shade wasn't around. A smile flickered on her face but she forced herself to frown so she could hide it._

"_Why?" questioned Phoebe, turning beet red._

"_So no?"_

"_No more than ten minutes at four o' clock."_


	3. Chapter 3

_Less than ten minutes turned into half an hour the next day, an hour and a half, three hours, and finally four months. We changed our meet up places because I was worried Korbin would catch me, and her maundering sister Aggie would follow Phoebe sometimes. Today, it was at a deserted beach with waves to rough for anyone to bathe in. Under a drooping tree, we giggled and talked about each of our classes, our annoying siblings and each our parents. "I feel as though I'm the eldest one in the family taking care of everyone else," she admitted. "Mom's sick, Aggie is getting messed up real bad and going down the path Paul went down, I don't know what to do with them."_

"_You need to buy a hammock and kick your feet up," I suggested. "Let Paul handle your family, he's supposed to be."_

"_I know but he's so irresponsible. Like your brother Korbin," she chuckled as she inched closer to me. With this umbrage covering us, we should be safe from anyone's eyes. My stomach tickled when I felt her skin. "Korbin can be responsible but he's just too reckless," I replied, shaking my head disappointedly. "He looks out for me, you know?"_

_"Yeah. Thank you Dunstan."_

"_For what?"_

"_For forcing me to go out with you that night and for always listening to me. You have a calming aura."_

"_Do I?" I scratched my hair anxiously. Without putting much thought into it, I leaned it and pressed my lips against hers as I closed my eyes. She pressed back, softly moaning as she leaned into and putting her warm, sandy hand onto my face, caressing it. I wrapped her gently around me and I felt her hands go down my shoulders and pull the wrap down, leaving my hairy chest exposed. I ran my fingers through her ocean colored hair, wavy just like the sea. Our cheeks touched each other's gently, I felt like I was in paradise. Slowly I felt her pull back and I followed suit, both our faces bright red and sweaty. "That..."_

"_Was good," she whispered at the same time I spoke. "__Tasted like roseberries," I laughed, putting my head on hers. We sat there just hearing each other breathe before going back to our separate parts of the island. Unfortunately, Mom was the first one to greet me at the door. "Look at you, did you just come out from a make out session?"_

"_N-no Mom," I stepped inside and headed for the stairs but Korbin blocked me in the middle. "What?"_

"_You went out with someone, tsk?" barked Korbin._

"_My baby became a man today. Tell me with who? That Lilith girl?"_

"_Guys it was no one!"_

"_So why are you blushing, tsk," asked Korbin, blocking every maneuver I make towards my room. He was more muscular than me, he could wrestle me down to the ground and pin me on the floor. That reminded me of something-I turned around and picked up the bo staff I finished yesterday, pointing it between Korbin's eyes. "The hell is that, tsk?" I made this out of strongest and finest materials from both sides of Gardia, I had Phoebe help me gather some of the ores needed, and used my warm Darkness to coat it and make it invisible to everyone but me. Of course Korbin wouldn't have ever seen it. _"_Get out of my way." _

_"You wanna go, tsk?" he stepped forward so the bo was on his nose bridge. "Whatever, tsk." I pushed past him and went upstairs to my room. Locking the bedroom door, I dropped on my bed and put my bo staff on the floor, lying horizontally so my head dangled off the other side. I wiped the sweat from my face and grinned wildly, remembering Phoebe's lips on mine. I wanted to do more with her but I didn't know how far she wanted to get-maybe later we would talk about it. My first kiss was when I was thirteen and the girl was eventually killed by the Lanterns. Her name was Fahie and she gave me a kiss after I helped her with her homework one night. But thinking about Phoebe made my heart skip a couple of beats and my she made my fingers twitched. I closed my eyes and sighed deeply, remembering the feeling of our lips pressed together, her baby-soft hands coming down my bare chest. "Dunstan."_

_I opened my eyes and saw Shade hovering my face, eyeballing me. "Gah!" I jumped up, making the bed wobble and turned to him. "You almost gave me a heart attack."_

"_I have never done that before to you. Where were you?" he asked curiously. Fortunately he couldn't see my eyebrow twitch. "I was out jogging and was ready to pass out."_

"_While smiling? I want to see how much you've developed, open your heart to me-"_

"_No!" I protested, clutching my wrap. "Don't do that, not right now. Tomorrow night-I mean, the night after tomorrow night you can check." If Shade had a face, I'd be able to figure out what he was thinking about, I could only guess that he knew I was hiding something. "Oh shit, I'm late for class, what I'm doing?"_

"_The fourth time you're late in a row. What's distracting you? A girl?" My jaw tightened and I hurried out before I could answer. Between him and Korbin and my Mom, I have no freedom to say I like a Lantern to them. They'd judge me, call me a whitened shadow and shun me, and maybe Mom would disown me. If they knew what I had just did, I'd be ostracisized from this village in no time._

* * *

"_Pheebs, you look like you're floating on a cloud," said Aggie, setting the table for dinner. "What happened today?"_

"_Oh nothing, I went out for a jog. I'm pretty tired so I'm heading to bed early," I put my hair in a flat ponytail and then remembered Dunstan's fingers combing through them. Was it a bad thing that I was ready to let him have me right then and there? Oh it gives me the goose bumps thinking about it, but the good kind. Wisp appeared next to me in a puff of light. "You're wearing the rose dress you said you hated," she observed. _

"_Just wanted to try it out."_

"_While jogging?" wondered Aggie. My lie was making barely any sense, I didn't have a choice. "Okay, tell us what you were really doing." I sighed and gestured for her to come into our shared bedroom._

"_Lock the door."_

"_What's going on?" asked Aggie. Wisp looked rather displeased and stayed in the corner of the room. "Why do I have a bad feeling from you Phoebe?"_

"_You guys must promise to never ever _ever _repeat what I'm telling you. Swear to never say it to anyone in this village."_

"_You're scaring me-" Aggie squeaked. I crossed my arms._

"_Do you want to hear it or not?"_

"_Yes I do."_

"_I'm going out with a boy from Shadow Gardia." Wisp trembled in fury, her yellow flame turning orange and Aggie froze, leaning against the door. "I'm going to see him again tomorrow." Aggie seemed more shocked than angry at me, however, Wisp was fuming. "I knew you were going to do something stupid when I saw you look at that boy that night. I knew you would."_

"_Wait a sec, it's _that _guy who yelled at Paul?" I nodded and Aggie frantically whined as she took in dramatic deep breaths. She was loyal, I didn't have to worry about her-it was Wisp who would blab it to the world. "You could get in serious trouble over this Pheebs."_

"_I just need you two to keep the secret until I can figure out what to do," I said stressfully, thinking about my spirit Wisp. "Wisp, please come with me tomorrow and you'll see he's more than what you think."_

"_I don't think so."_

"_Please Wisp, trust me and trust him, he's a good guy that makes me happy."_

"_He's the reason why your Light has been dimming out lately and the reason you've been coming home past sundown. I refuse to meet him," she declared in a huff but said begrudgingly, "I'll keep your secret for as long as I can." Somehow, I knew she wouldn't-Wisp was like that. I wondered if Dunstan was having the same problem with his spirit Shade. He told me Shade had become like a father to him ever since he lost his to the War of Legends that involved us of the Light and them of the Dark-the perfect clash between Light and Darkness that ended up in a stalemate. If there was a place where we could get away from all this, I wished it was real so we could escape there._

_The next day, I met Dunstan at the outskirts of Sun Gardia, a neutral, flat area where people who didn't get involved with either of our kind. A violet, round object was perched on Dunstan's shoulder and when he came closer, I identified it as Shade. "Phoebe, this is my spirit Shade." I bowed my head respectfully. "It's a pleasure to be acquainted with you." Dunstan and I were thinking the same thing, but I ruined it when Wisp opted not to join me. It would've been nice for Light and Darkness to be united here. _

"_Where's your spirit?" asked Shade._

"_I tried to get her to come but she didn't want to," I replied honestly, lifting my head up. My face turned to mush when Dunstan gave me a hug and explained softly in my ear. "I made an agreement with him last night, if he likes you then he's got to keep my secret but if not, he'll tell my family. Just be your normal self."_

"_Of course," I dug my face in his shoulder, inhaling his tantalizing scent before pulling away and smiling at the flying eyeball Shade, who just simply stared at me and flew by Dunstan. During our date, we went the private beach where the rough waves were and we soaked in the waters for a while. By the time we finished, it was dusk and we sat on the grey sand, gazing at the ocean. I would glance at Dunstan's green eyes that looked like gemstones and admire them. Besides those eyes, I loved his little baby fat under his chin which I found adorable to pinch, his dimples when he grinned, and that beauty mark under his right ear he didn't like. As if he heard my thoughts, he wrapped me in his arms and fell back on the sand. His hair tickled me as he studied every feature on my face. "I've always wondered why everyone in Sun Gardia had blue hair."_

"_Their mothers drank sea nectar, a form of Light extracted from the waters that look like seaweed. They grow them as plants ans then they use their nectar to ease the pregnancy pains," explained Shade, keeping his distance away from us. _

"_He's right," I said as I nestled my head on Dunstan's pecks. I traced the abs I couldn't see with my fingers and sighed contently. "I was thinking about it today, about a place where Sun Gardias and Shadow Gardias would unite."_

"_A haven for people like us?" _

"_Yeah, a paradise for after death 'cuz let's face it, there will never be such a union here in this world. But what about a world that accepts both, people that have Light and Darkness-_and Twilight._ I sound so ridiculous."_

"_No, no," he released me and sat up, scratching the sand from his hair. "We could reign over this place like a king and a queen-after all you are Master Phoebe and I'm still getting there," teased Dunstan, showing his adorable dimples that I playfully poked. "We could-" he stopped smiling._

"_What?"_

"_Plan this place for, ahem, if we have children," he blushed and looked up to the sky bashfully. "Will that happen, you think?" I kissed his cheek tenderly and cupped his face, seriously looking. "You know whatever kids we'll have will be ostracized and won't even be recognized as people," I said frankly. Twilight children had never been accepted in any time period and having one would be mortifying. "Besides, isn't Shade here?" I looked over his shoulder but saw nothing but Dunstan's hand._

"_He must have decided to let us have some alone time," he shrugged. "I was thinking we could run away to Bove if, you wanted to have, children, you know." _

"_They wouldn't be recognized there," I figured. "But are you ready to do that for me? Leave behind your family for our relationship?" I've felt like I've known him for so many years but it's been four months. My judgment skills have been tampered with ever since I talked to Dunstan that day four months ago. Was it love? Infatuation? Lust-no, I knew it's more than that. But what if it was just physical attraction to a Shadow, a meaningless attraction? I knew it was not love but it was close. I was so close to being in love with a Shadow, who would've guessed? "Tell you what. The ship for Bove leaves tomorrow at three. If you see me there, we're off to start a new life together. And if you don't see me, please don't hate me and move on with your life."_

"_Sure," he readily agreed and gave me a big smooch on my lips, bringing my head to the sand. I smiled as I felt myself getting aroused the more he touched my face and my body._

* * *

"_You missed class again," complained Mom when I came home. "I wanna know what you were up to!" Thank goodness, Shade hasn't told her yet._

"_Mom, I love you," I embraced her with a big hug, holding back a tear. Warily she hugged me back, unsure of what could've sparked such an affectionate action. "I will always love you."_

"_I'll love you until the end of time…do you have some disease you wanna tell me about?"_

"_No, not really. Just know that I love you." As I left her confused and happy, I had one more family member to deal with. Korbin was sitting in my room on my bed, arms folded and his light green eyes stuck on me. "Korb, what're you doing in my room?"_

"_Just tell me what you're up to. I'm not gonna tell Mom, tsk."_

"_There's nothing to tell, listen I want you-"_

"_No, that's the same look on your face you had when years ago when you told me you weren't going to do anything stupid and then you nearly drowned trying to save your friend, tsk," argued Korbin, showing rare concern for me. "Tell me what's going on and it better not have to do with Lanterns, tsk."_

"_Korb, we'll always be brothers right?" _

"_Yeah of course but that doesn't-!" I gave him a hug too. "What're you doing, jeez man, gimmie some space, tsk." He broke free as he narrowed his eyes at me. "You've been acting too weird and tomorrow, I'm gonna get to the bottom of it, tsk." He left me alone in my room but I could still sense another Dark entity nearby. "Shade, I know you're in here." As I sat down on my bed, my head flat on the pillow, I felt his presence next to my head. "You didn't tell them, thanks."_

"_I don't like the idea of you dating a Lantern Dunstan. It's a huge risk you're willing to take but she's taking the risk too. I sensed an incredible Light within her, a blinding Light that could make the Darkness flee to the ends of the world," explained Shade, warning me of her danger. "You two could destroy each other but I have never seen you so happy with someone before. She doesn't possess any ill-content for you. Your secret is safe with me."_

"_Thank you so much," I grinned, turning my head towards him, but he wasn't to my right. His voice came from my left. "Don't do something idiotic. I know your heart inside and out and I know you're planning to do something with this girl you've just met-all that talk about Twilight children will have you killed." I sighed sadly, looking up towards the ceiling._

"_Good night Shade, thanks for the advice."_

'_ ' '_

_She told me if she wasn't here at three, this dream would be over. The first horn that told everyone to board was blown and anxiety grew in my chest like a poisonous plant. Then I saw in the distance wild sapphire hair and a golden dress running towards me and I felt my face melt. My future tackled me so hard I fell over._

**Not supposed to be that long but what can you do? I was actually gonna make this a three-part story but I'm kind of on a time limit here so this is the condensed version. I tried to make it smooth, hope it worked well. I'm concluding the flashback in the next Mia story.**


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